Point of sale pricing information is well known among retailers and those in the field of consumer products. For example, electronic shelf labels (ESLs) are well known in the retail community and are used on store shelves in close proximity to the product being sold primarily to indicate the price of products. An ESL can also include other marketing or sales information, however, because ESLs are typically used to display prices for the many products being displayed on a single store shelf, they are typically designed with a small screen with only limited screen space to display basic pricing and text information in an understated manner so as not to overwhelm or distract the purchaser with too much information. Each ESL typically has a single screen which lies flat against the edge of a store shelf to display the price for a single product. Because the single screen is place flush up against the shelf edge, the screen faces directly toward the aisle and has very limited visibility from the sides. Such an ESL can be difficult to see and read unless the viewer is positioned in a store aisle directly in front of the single screen of the ESL and perpendicular to the shelf. Because there must be an ESL for each different product sold in the store the ESL is typically relatively small and has very limited space for any type of display other than for the display of the price and a small message that do not change unless the pricing for the product is changes. If the ESL is too large it becomes difficult to fit all the required ESL's onto a single shelf that holds multiple products.
The pricing displayed on the ESL is typically controlled by a central location. For example, supermarket store owners control the price on the ESLs throughout at store using a central computer either at the store at a a main headquarters for multiple stores. Price updates or price changes are transmitted to each ESL by hard wire, wireless, low frequency or some other type of signal transmission. The price updates or changes or any other type of message to be displayed on the ESL is controlled by a store owner, not the advertiser or marketer of the products being sold. The only way to change or turn off the pricing is through the controller at a central location. The ability to change the price on the ESL at the point of sale location is typically not permitted in order to prevent a customer from improperly altering the price of a product.
It is also known in the prior art for advertisers and marketers to use preprinted materials at point of sale locations that include an advertising message such as references to product quality, special offers or special pricing. However, when printed material is used the advertising message is static and cannot be easily altered or changed. For example, if the pricing or the advertising message is wrong or inaccurate, a store owner must replace or remove the printed material all together. Removing, replacing or modifying the printed material at the store shelf requires employee time and adds to the operational costs for the display.
Advertisers and marketers also have a need to be able to quickly update and change marketing information at the point of sale in response to market demands. Many marketing strategies are time sensitive. For example, some marketing efforts may only offer a special price for a limited period time. Marketers and store owners want to be sure that any temporary price specials expire at the correct time and are not improperly extended resulting in a loss income. However, printed advertising including the special pricing at the point of sale will need to be manually posted at the beginning of the special pricing period and removed at the end of the pricing period. Failure to post and remove the printed materials at the proper time could result in lower sales and lost profits.
Accordingly, ESL's and printed point of sale advertising are limited as to how quickly messages can be updated and what messages can be displayed. The ability to quickly and easily change a price, quality or value message at the point of sale is extremely important. Advertisers and marketers also want the ability to have a reusable device that can easily and quickly be adapted to display different messages for different products at different point of sale locations. Advertisers and marketers also want a display screen sufficiently large to offer a variety of product messages and to be highly visible to consumers who approach the point of sale location from different directions.
There is also a need for an advertising device that allows a marketer to retain maximum control over the consumer price/value perception of a product at the shelf and that allows advertising at the point of sale for ongoing trade promotions or hot temporary price reduction price points. Further, there is also a need for a point of sale display system that controls the price and sales message for a given period of time without requiring a hardwired, IR and RF signal from a central computer controlled by the store owner to reprogram the device.
What is needed is a inexpensive, programmable, reusable, instantly changeable, highly visible multi-screen display and information device. A device that can attach to a store shelf at the point of sale and can be independently programmed to dynamically display. The device would also include a timer used to assist in determining that pricing and product information be displayed only for the appropriate time period. The device would also include a manually operated switch that can alternatively turn on and off pricing information to prevent apparent pricing errors.